Paul Simon “Hearts and Bones”

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#135) is Paul Simon, Hearts and Bones.

Hearts and Bones could be considered the ‘Lost Paul Simon Album.” It wasn’t Simon and Garfunkel. It wasn’t Still Crazy, It wasn’t Graceland. It was between all those classics and never received it’s proper due. Well not until now that is!

I myself hadn’t even played this for quite sometime. Then I was on facebook and saw a video that James Eves III had placed by Al Di Meola. In the thread beneath it, there was a comment by Richard Kent Burton who claimed that Di Meola had ‘the most pick control’ of anyone he could think of.

When I though, Al Di Meola and pick control, I could only think of one solo. That would be the one that he does in the Paul Simon song, Allergies. It’s nothing BUT pick control!!

So I was going to add that to the thread but I quickly decided to be selfish and add it to my blog instead!

Hearts and Bones was recorded right after the period in which Simon and Garfunkel held their huge Central Park reunion concert. In fact, I recently read that this was originally going to be a Simon and Garfunkel album called, Think Too Much.

It ended up being a Paul Simon record and Think Too Much became one of many great songs on the album.

The aforementioned Allergies is my standout track. Others are the title cut, Hearts and Bones, where Paul tossed in a great line about he and future wife describing their vacation travels referring to themselves as ‘One and One Half Wandering Jews.’

When Numbers Get Serious, Song About The Moon, and Rene and Georgette Magrette With Their Dog After the War are all outstanding.

But there is one last song that needs mention. A truly, truly masterful song called The Late Great Johnny Ace. There have been many, but this might be the best song written in honor of John Lennon. It was written my Paul Simon with a haunting ending piece that was added by Phillip Glass. This is a superb track. A must hear.

Al Di Meola was not the only big name musician brought in to fill the sound.